(c) Andy Garibaldi (Cd Services)

MIRRORS "Neutron Star"
From Russia, a simply fabulous CD of ‘real’ space synths music, featuring
two lengthy tracks and three shorter tracks, and all of it absolutely
superb. Played and produced in a top quality manner, the album sets the
scene before moving onto the two epic tracks, of which the first starts with
a very full-sounding slice of lead synth flow below which assorted synth
layers drone and glide, while on top the tones change from high register to
more bottom-end as all the various layers intertwine, the composition
constantly moving, with the subtlest of bass sequence style lines running
underneath, as the lead synth line flies and soars in cosmic splendour.
Throughout the rest of the track, the main, lone synth lead lines are kept
simple and uncluttered with a sparse soundscape that conveys the feel of
vast, deep space, but more the unknown rather than the familiar, after the
half-way point becoming quite eerie and continuing the ever-darkening mood,
as more sounds gather to convey the feel of the stark and the surreal. The
other long track, at 19 minutes, follows and is another fantastic journey
into the realms of the celestial and space synth music, with a variety of
cascading and tinkling synth rhythms underneath as the main body of the
piece slowly flies, drifts and glides, seemingly hanging motionless in the
gloom at several points, but a classic slice of, again, more stripped-down
sounding cosmic music, but, in this particular case, a track that will have
you absolutely wrapt up in it for the duration of the piece, as before the
mood being one of combining dark with ethereal, the human touch always
present. After this, the shorter tracks appear, the first with a stuttering
sequencer line underpinning a most gorgeous and, again, simple, lead synth
melody line, a neat idea that works a treat, while the next is a three
minute track that starts with waves of full-sounding, dark synth
soundscapes, beginning a travelogue that sees a variety of electronic sounds
coming out over a deep bass synth undercurrent. Finally, you hear a more
full-sounding space synths track that emulates the third epic track in many
ways to close things with four minutes of shimmering stark synth space. In
all, a fine debut album.

IO Pages #37 review

From Aural Innovations #21 (October 2002) 

Mirrors is a solo project from Russian musician Alisa Coral who plays an image inducing brand of space electronica. The CD consists of two lengthy excursions and four shorter tracks. The music is like a combination of early Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, and the work of experimental sound sculpture artists, though there's nothing abstract to be found here. It's completely in space but Alisa clearly has prog rock influences as well. The music sails steadily along like a spacecraft on a steady course, but Alisa's flair for themtatic development reveals some of the adventures and challenges the ship and it's occupants face as they move through their journey from Eos to the Neutron Star. Alisa does an excellent job of creating a cold dark atmosphere and painting a slowly evolving cosmic landscape among the stars. But if the album has a weakness it's that it could have varied a bit more. What started off as rather exciting got a bit mundane by the end of the album. Still, it was an enjoyable listen and there's enough good music here to have me fired up for Alisa's upcoming space rock project which will include guitar and bass parts to her keyboard dominated music.